David Lassman / The Post-StandardOrganizers of Paige's Butterfly Run, which occurred today in downtown Syracuse, expects the event will reach the $1 million fund-raising mark during its 14-year history.Syracuse, NY-- Organizers of Paige's Butterfly Run expect the annual event that raises money for children with cancer will have raised $1 million over 14 years when the proceeds from today's run are counted.
David Lassman / The Post-StandardYvette Gigliotti of Fulton waits for Paige's Butterfly Race to start. With antenna and wings in place, she competed in the centipede division."I'm quite confident that we'll get there," said race director Chris Arnold, father of Paige Yeomans Arnold for whom the race is named. "We feel we're on track for that."

Today's race needed to raise $150,000 to reach the $1 million mark for money raised since the event began in 1997, he said. The first year the event raised $2,200, he said.

This year's tally has not yet been counted, he said.

After event expenses, all of the money raised goes to Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital for pediatric oncology research and to help families of patients undergoing treatment, Arnold said.

The number of participants has continued to rise since the event moved downtown, he said. Last year, it drew 1,300 participants. This year there were 1,800 pre-registered for the run and about 200 people registered today to run, Arnold said.

Paige Arnold was a first grader in Baldwinsville when she was diagnosed with leukemia in 1993. She died a year later of complications.